The invention pertains to computer mouse devices for controlling cursors on computer displays.
The use of pointers on graphical user interfaces (GUIs) presented on a computer display device for interacting with application software is well known. Essentially all Windows(trademark) based or McIntosh(trademark) based software utilizes such control. Accordingly, apparatus for moving the pointer on a computer screen also are well known to computer users. Probably the most common pointer control device is the well known computer mouse device such as illustrated in FIG. 1. A computer mouse device 10 comprises a shell 12 shaped to fit conveniently and comfortably in the palm of the hand of the user while it rests on a flat, horizontal surface. It typically has two or more buttons 16 and 18 on its top surface positioned to be adjacent the operator""s, index, middle and/or ring fingers when the mouse device is gripped comfortably. Protruding from the bottom of the shell typically is a track ball or other mechanism (not shown in FIG. 1) which, responsive to the user moving the mouse device on top of the horizontal supporting surface, rotates due to friction with that surface. The track ball is coupled to circuitry (not shown in FIG. 1) encased within the shell 12 which determines the direction and rate of rotation of the track ball and converts it to an electrical signal that is provided to the computer via a cable 19 that extends from the mouse device to a mouse port on the computer. Software within the computer takes that information and converts it into corresponding movements of the pointer on the computer display device.
Although computer mouse devices of the general form shown in FIG. 1 are probably the most common type of pointer control device for desktop computers, many other types of computer pointer control devices are known. This is particularly true in connection with portable computers (e.g., laptop computers and palmtop computers) since computer mouse devices tend to be too cumbersome for portable use. Well known computer control devices other than a mouse device include track balls, touch pads, and touch pens. It also is known to use mouse devices that include a light emitting diode that are used in connection with mouse-pads that are reflective and contain a grid. Interruptions in the light intensity are used to indicate movement of the mouse.
While a computer mouse device can, in theory, be moved across any horizontal surface, the rotation of the track ball works on the basis of friction with that surface. Accordingly, if the surface is too smooth, the track ball may nor rotate as smoothly as desired and mouse device operation may be less than ideal. A typical desktop, for instance, is quite smooth and does not yield mouse device operation that is considered adequate to the typical user. Accordingly, most mouse device users also utilize a mouse-pad which is basically a small pad typically measuring approximately 9xe2x80x3xc3x978xe2x80x3 made of a soft, high friction material such as neoprene.
The surface on which a computer mouse device is used must be horizontal. If the surface is not horizontal, the force of gravity will cause the mouse device to roll off of the surface.
Many office and factory workers now use computers on a regular basis for great lengths of time. Many jobs require computer use every day for anywhere between several hours a day and the entire work day. Using a mouse device on a flat surface, be it a desktop, or a mouse-pad that is resting on a desktop, requires the user to sit or stand near the desk. However, when working with a computer for such long lengths of time, workers often find it desirable to recline in their chairs or stretch out their legs such that they are more than an arm""s length away from the desktop and thus the mouse device. Accordingly, it is desirable to have a surface on which a mouse device can be used that is attached to the chair so that the user need not always remain so close to his or her desk. Further, it would be desirable for this surface to be inclined towards the user to allow more comfortable use of the mouse device, even if the user is near a desktop.
However, the mounting of such a surface, to a chair or even to a fixed station but at an incline creates problems. First, a standard mouse device will not remain on an inclined surface. As noted above, it will slide off of the surface due to gravity as soon as the user removes his hand from the mouse device. Further, even if the surface is perfectly horizontal, but it is mounted on a mobile item, such as a chair, acceleration of the surface might cause the mouse device to slide off of the surface, hit the floor and possibly break or become disconnected from the computer.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved mouse device.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved mouse-pad and/or mouse support surface.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved mouse-device/mouse-pad combination.
In accordance with the invention, a mouse-device/mouse-pad combination is provided in which one of the mouse device and mouse-pad includes a magnet and the other includes a ferromagnetic material. Alternately, both the mouse device and the mouse-pad may comprise a magnet. The magnet may be a permanent magnet or an electromagnet. The magnetic force between the mouse device and the mouse-pad should be set such that the mouse device is held securely on the pad when the pad is tilted to any reasonably expected angle from the horizontal yet weak enough such that the user can overcome the magnetic force to move the mouse device along the surface without undo exertion. If an electromagnet is utilized in the mouse device and/or mouse-pad, then the mouse device or mouse-pad can be equipped with a knob for allowing the user to adjust the magnetic force relative to the angle at which the user intends to place the mouse-pad and/or the amount of force the user wishes to exert to move the mouse device.
In a preferred embodiment, the mouse-device/mouse-pad combination is touch sensitive and is configured such that the magnetic force is turned off or at least substantially reduced when the user""s hand comes in contact with the mouse device. In this manner, a high electromagnetic attractive force can be allowed to exist between the mouse-pad and the mouse device when the user is not in contact with the mouse device in order to securely hold the mouse device to the mouse-pad. When the user comes in contact with the mouse device, the force will be eliminated or substantially decreased so that the user can easily move the mouse device and thus not become fatigued or suffer from a repetitive stress disorder. In this manner, the mouse device can be guaranteed not to slide off of the mouse-pad when not in use yet can be manipulated easily by the user without the need to overcome a strong electromagnetic attractive force between the mouse device and mouse-pad.